Lumber drier



May 20, 1930. B. s. HARRlsoN LUMBER DRIER Filed April' 15, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 z ywww1 l lmhllpL f mpantoz,

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5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 20, 1930. B. s. HARRISON LUMBER DRIER Filed April 15, 192s B. S. HARRISO N Mza.) ZO, 1930.

' LUMBER DRIER Filed April 15, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 20, 1930. B. s. HARRISON LUMBER DRIER Filed April 15, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Snom/woz,

May V2o, 1930. B s HARRISON 1,759,195

'\ LUMBER DRIEH Filed April 15, 1929 5 sheets-sheet 5 J1/munter,

Patented May 20, 1930 UNITED STATES BiIR'r s. HARRISON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK LUMBER DRIER v Application filed April -15,

My invention relates to improvements in lumber driersand more particularly to driers ofwhat is knownas"v the platen type ink which banks kof heatedplatens are used to carry thestock whichv may be lumber, veneer, di-

mension stuif'or .analogous material.y

In driers of this type the platens open to receive the stock and theny are closed against it so that the. stock will be held flat inorder that it may not warp or vtwist during the drying process.y In moving the'platens` it is the prevailing custom to practically. lift the load in closing orv openingthemand this renders it necessary to use ,rather ponderous,

cumbrous structures and requires a good deal of power'.V It follows that such apparatus is slow. in operation. i

The vObject of my invention isy toimprove structures'of this character and obviate the v Vdiiiiculties referred yto and other diiiiculties to the end that the structure. may be simplified, its operation rendered more convenient and lessexpensive and that the timeY for loading `and handling may be lcut down. x

V My invention is also intended to produce a structure of better efliciency than those heretofore used for the purpose specified and in which the customary Or preferred arrangements for automatically `regulating temperature, circulation, humidity yand the like can be used as desired. f

In carrying out this idea I employ a series of tilting grids which operate as a unit and in which the platens are carried bythe grids Yinjsuch away that the tilting "of the grids regulates the distance `between the platens so that, for example, if the grids areY vertical the platens will be separated the maximum distance, and yif the grids'are .tilted the platens, vand consequentlythe stockwhich they carry, will be brought together. It will vbe seen that by suchl an arrangement the` load on the platens isa balanced load, that is to say, it will be the same on both sides of the 10 grid pivots sov that the' operation of tilting the grids and therefore regulating the distance between the platens requires very little power and can be quickly accomplished.

The invention also contemplatesusing the vgrids in a horizontal position if desiredin rture .shown in Figure 6;

1929. serial No. 355,121.

`that it 'can be handled with greater facility and at less cost. K

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of the drier embodying my invention showing the 'grids .170

inv normal or open position; Figure 2 is `a broken side elevati'vonshow-` `ing the grids tilted to close the platens; I

J Figure 3 is an end view of .the structure;

Figure 4; is abroken detail sectionallelevak75 tion showing thefposition ofthe platens'rand stockwhen the 'platens are Open; Y j u v Figure 5 is .a similar 'View with the grids tilted to close the platensupon the stock; Y

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a drier show- -30 inga slightly modied arrangement of` the platens and their supports; V e. Q

Figure 7 is a broken plan view vof Ythestruc- Figure 8 is a detail sectional view showing 85 a type Of platen adapted for use in the drier;

Figure 9 is a plan view of themodification in which the grids Open laterally insteadof verticallyy,

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the struc- :1,90 ture shown in Figure 9,.

vFigure llfis a broken end View ofthe strueture shown in Figure 10 butewithther'stani chions removedrfor clearnessf In carrying out the invention I use side 595 supporting frames 10 which can be of any approved design and these carry a seriesof vertical grids having stanchions 1l which may be hollow to receivea heating medium and each of which is pivoted as 'shown atllV 15T@ on the4 frame 10. The heating mediunnwhich can be steam, water, oil, or other medium, is received through a header 12 at the upper part of the apparatus (see Fig. 1) and this connects by flexible pipes 13 with the several stanchions 11 which, as shown in Figure 3, are on opposite sides of the apparatus and form supports for the platens hereinafter referred to. c

VThe header 12 is connectedvby flexible o r jointed pipes 14 to ai source of heat supply and on the lower side of the apparatusthe several stanchions connect by flexible pipes 16 with a header 17 connecting through flexible or jointed pipes V18 fwitha suitable exvhau/fst@ Guide links 19 conneet the upper andY lower parts fof thefgrid's, to wit, the Vtie bars 2()v which are attachedlto them, tothe headers 12 and 17.l The tie bars are'- by way of example and simply vshow one means of connecting the; several stanchions 11 of the grids Seniat au' may operate asia unit; and

any suitablemeans g can be used for tilting these grids but simple andv preferred means is` illustrated in which the tie bars at the upper andlower partis ofthe grids connect Vbfy a cable 21 which'runs over a sheave 22 on a shaft V23, andV this can be turned by any reversible means and can conveniently Ybe connected by a wormvandY gear structure 24 with'a reversible motor 25. y f

The stanchions l11V of each grid are lconnected by'cross pipes 26 or 27 as the case may beso that the circulatino'f the heating medium is through the stanchions and the cross pipes shown in Figs; 4 and 5 which arethus directly heatedand vvhichfin the figures referred to serve as platens. For some purposesit is better' toy have the alternate grids provided'witli pipes' of different sizes as shown in Figures and 5. Ashere illustrated, itv will-be seen that; the pipes 26 on two of the grid 'members are relatively large while the pipes'27on the intervening grid membersV are smaller, thusaV strip of stock 28'when arrangiedfbetween' the mem-- -bers will bear kdirect upon the pipes 26, but

' will be spaced from'thepipes 27 thus pro viding better circulation of air between the stock parts. l J Y From thedescription given it will be seen that the load, that is the stock 28, carried vby the several grid members is a balanced load and it will bear upon opposite sides of the pivots 11 of the grids: sojthatZ 'theA Ionly power necessary to tilt the gridsis sufficientY to` overcome the friction of the load, and that the load does not need to be lifted fand therefore the simple means shown serves ask a quickV and efficient way'pfafleeting the open- Y ing and clsing'of tlieplatens. or instance,

when the grids are vertical, as in Figures 1 and 4the platens will vbe yopen so that Vstock Vcan be readily placedbetween them, and when the grids are tilted the vertical dis-V tance will be changed so that the platen mem-v bers will bear directly upon the stock and hold it flat. It will be understood too that the structure can bev housed in any usual or e' preferred way, or any preferred means used for circulating air and removing Vapor in, through and from `the apparatus. Y

In. Figures e and 771 have shawn: a; slightlymodified arrangement of the parts which,

however, embodies no change in principle and hereV the several' st'anchions 1l are connected on .opposite sides by I-beams 28 which act as of the apparatusthe several I-beains carryl f thepipe coils 31 through which the heating medium passes and the coils are at one end ,Y of thek apparatus connected to a header 32;,by.` a pipe 311:y and withthesouree ofjsupply of theheating medium by jointed pipes 32',

while at the other end the exhaust header 33 connects by a pipe 35Ywith the coils and by jointed pipes 33with the exhaust; I have' not referred specifically to the :join-ted pipes asV anyone skilled in the art will .understand the making of the joints sov as toepermit the movement of the severalV parts connected therewith. Y 4

Inthis example of the apparatus the'several pipe members 31, instead of actingas platens l and also asl heating mediums, are: separated from theflumber or stock by perforated plates 36 and 36 each plate having circulation holes 37therethrou, gh` (see Figure 8).. The plates f Y Y36 and 36 are spaced from the pipe members by vspacing blocks 38 and the lower plate 3,6"

can be carriedby the Ifbea'ms 28 'while the Y upper plates can rest directly uponthe spac-f ing blocks. For some purposes, and 4especially where the nature of thes'toclr is. such that it is betterto have it held out of direct con-- better but fthe principle is exactly .the same,

Vtact withgthe pipes, this form vof platenl isv c and it will beseen by reference to Figures 6 t and 7 Vthat when the stanchions 11a-re tilted or rocked', the yoperation'iwill serve to'open and close the platens preciselyfas already`de- Y scribed, Although the cables 21 are connected to the upper and lower parts ofthe stanchions direct, if one stanchion'V is tilted grids are .vertically instead of horizontally arranged and boards or the like can be placed between them. vThe grid s'tanchio'ns 39 have Y `the others inust of ,necessityV be, thus the e several I-beams 28serve` as important linil'is between the several stanchions so that whena stanchion is tilted the wholeibank of :grids Vis moved to bring the platens closer together` 'Y coils 40 like the coils 31 above referred to, and the coils connect at the upper ends through flexible pipes 41 with headers 42 which have a jointed pipe connection 43 with the source of heat supply, while at the lower ends the coils connect by flexible pipes 44 with headers 45 which connect through jointed pipes 46 with the exhaust. In the example given the coils are covered by perforated plates 47 or the plates 36 and 36 above referred to. At their upper and lower parts and on both sides of the apparatus the several stanchions 39 are pivote'd to channel beams 48 which serve as a frame and these are pivoted as shown at 49 to the supports 50. An operating shaft 51 is located above the apparatus instead of at the-end and cables 52 connect over sheaves 53 on the shaft with yopposite ends of the upper frame members 48. The shaft 51 can be turned by the worm gear and motor construction already referred to, or by other means. In any event when the upper frame members 48 are tilted the stanchions 39 serve as links connecting with and spaced by the lower frame membersan'd so the whole bank of grids tilt as a unit to open or to close the platens for the reception or removal of the stock.

In each of the examples given it will be noticed that the construction involves the use of tiltable grids acting as a unit in which the platens are opened and closed by the tilting of the grids so that the operation of the apparatus is exceedingly simple, very convenient, and requires little power. It will also be apparent that yany customary or preferred means of regulating temperatures and circulation can be applied to this apparatus as to the more conventional types.

It will be noticed that in Figures 6 and 7 and also in Figures 9 to 11, a common principle is involved of using separable platens carried by grid structures all controlled by the tilting of the stanchions which carry the grids or by the grids themselves, and this general feature is capable of many other structural arrangements without departing from the es,- sential nature of the invention.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A drier of the kind described comprising tilting grids having side members and connecting cross members, the cross members of which are adapted to carry a heating medium and which serve as stock platens.

2. A drier of the kind described comprising a bank of tilting grids operable as a unit, each grid having side members and connecting cross members, the cross members of each grid acting to carry a heating medium and to serve as a stock platen.

3. A drier of the kind described comprising a bank of tilting grids each comprising a pair of stanchions connected by cross members, and means for carrying a heating medium through the stanchions and the cross members.

4. A vdrier `of the kind described comprising tilting grids connected to operate as a unit, each grid having cross members to carry tween the several grids by which they tilt as a y unit.

6. A drier comprising a plurality of tilting stanchions, frame members pivotally connecting the several stanchions whereby they tilt as a unit, and platens carried by the frame members. 7. A drier comprising a plurality of tilting stanchions connected to tilt as a unit, cross circulation pipes carried by the stanchions and serving as platen heaters, and perforated plates over the circulation pipes.

8. A drier comprising a series of tilting stanchions arranged in opposed pairs and separable platens carried by and connected to each pair of stanchions whereby the tilting of the stanchions regulates the separation of the platens.

9. A drier comprising a series of separable grids having opposed side members and connecting cross platen members, platen heating elements carried by the grids, and a connection between the grids and stanchions whereby the tilting of the ,stanchions controls the separation of the whole series of grids.

l0. A drier o-f the kind described comprising a series of parallel grids each having opposed side members and connecting cross platen members, and a connection between the several grids whereby they all operate as a unit and by their tilting action act to regulate the separation of the platens.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 12th day of April, 1929.

Y BURT s. HARRISON.

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